Good thing about this place. Fried chicken was juicy and flavorful. That honey chicken sauce was real good. Bad part, at least for me. Cole slaw was boring. I mean, that's salad with dressing... And the kimchi pasta. That was crazy heavy. As a guy in mid 40's, I cannot handle that and fried chicken together. The pickled radish was not very crunchy and it was too sweet. Overall, I still give this place 5 stars, but this place was just not a perfect fit with my preference, thats all. Cuz fried chicken was great, and that's the most important obviously. read more

It was good, we got the Saigon and the honey jam. The Saigon was good, better than the honey jam. The chicken is crispy on the outside but it's not a super thick layer, and then standard chewiness in the middle, not super juicy. The boneless is like the bone in but literally bone pulled out, not like fake chicken. The service was great and quick, but the actual good coming out was pretty slow- likely fresh. The ambiance was great, I loved the light they had behind the booth seating as well as the 3 TVs on one side to watch any games. read more

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Came here last night and ordered Combo 1, which came with 12 small bone-in pieces -- a mix of drumsticks and wings. You get to pick 2 flavors, so we went with the original crispy and the sweet and spicy (a Korean original flavor), plus a side of kimchi fried rice. We'd had a disappointing experience at another Korean fried chicken spot before (I'll keep that one to myself), so this was such a nice surprise. The original crispy was my favorite by far -- fried to perfection, with the meat inside staying wonderfully juicy. The sweet and spicy was flavorful too, though a touch saucy and salty for my personal taste. The kimchi fried rice was tasty as well; the rice came out a little soft for me, but the flavor was there. read more

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First time at Kuljem and I'm a fan. Brought some out of town friends here as they wanted to get Korean fried chicken. Also gave me a chance to try this new to me place. We ordered way too much food and it was all delicious. We somehow ended up with 30 wings, fries, kimchi fried rice, and cheese corn for 3 people. It was a lot. Tons of leftovers which reheated well. Favorites were the Saigon wings, then sweet and spicy. Kimchi fried rice was super flavorful but I was not a fan of the chicken in it. Didn't expect chicken and it was quite dry. Corn cheese was delicious and the fries were skinny and crispy. I didn't like that there was an ant on the table and flies that also landed on our food. Parking here can be questionable but was fine on a weekday evening. I would definitely come back and try some other dishes. read more

Kuljemm is a great place to go when you wanna stay local to UTC and grab a late-night dinner and drinks with friends. It has large TVs all around, and it reminds me of a classic Korean-American bar; it just needs to be playing more k-pop in the background haha. The service is friendly, and they serve you huge bottles of beer in pre-frosted glasses. The wings are thick and juicy, with plenty of seasoned breading. My favorite is the Saigon style; the Honey Jam was a little too sweet for my taste. I also really like the kimchi pasta, but it could be a little more savory/kimchi than cheesy/sweet, and it could use more meat in it. The fries have good seasoning, and good to dip in the kimchi sauce. Also, overall, I think it'd be good if there were more vegetable options; the pickled radish was the only thing I could have to cut through all the heavy flavors. read more

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Pretty good Korean fried chicken spot in La Jolla. We got one of the combos. The rose tteokboki was really good. We got several flavors for the wings but the Saigon style wing was the best by far. If I could get one flaovr again it would for sure be the Saigon style. The honey jam was pretty good too. In my opinion, the other flavors were just alright. The mozz stik was just okay! I was never the biggest fan of those so YMMV. The service was really nice! They were kind and quick to take out our food. The ambiance was also nice! Not too crowded which was good! But we did come at a later time I would recommend getting the combo. I wish it had bigger portions! For parking, there is plenty of parking in the lot. As stated before, we went at a later time so there was pretty little traffic in the plaza. Overall, I would recommend trying here if you have not done so yet! Pretty good chicken! read more

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Decided to finally try this place as it had been on my radar since it opened. Was immediately intrigued by the Saigon style, and then defaulted to the classic sweet soy as a baseline. I also decided last minute to tack on the kimchi pasta as I had seen some others who recommended it. Service for to go was pretty quick; not skeptically quick but not at all slow. What I immediately appreciated was the size; the pieces are large and reminiscent to typical bone-in wings, which leads me to believe their bone-in are even more hefty than the boneless I got. Next, the crunch was satisfyingly there. Flavors were a little interesting but not too far from competitors. The kimchi pasta was pretty good - very creamy with a slight kick. Would've personally preferred a bit more tang and kimchi flavor, but it was still worthwhile to try. Only concern is simply that this market is pretty flooded with KFC. Everyone has their favorites and Kuljem didn't seem to stand out enough to take away anyone else's spot. Wouldn't say no to trying again, but I'd probably be considering those other options as well. read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Kimchi pasta - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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What we ordered | kimchi pasta | corn cheese | Saigon style chicken wings Taste | favorites were the kimchi pasta which was creamy and flavorful. Chicken and corn cheese was good as well. Service | server was nice and food came out quick Parking | plaza read more

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Great service and great chicken found it to be crunchy and flavorful and the honey jam like everyone said was really great. I got the combo meal one for 12 pieces of wings and fried rice and you can say it's worth it to a bit pricier for $40. Really clean nice decorated place. I would say I would come again if there were more people to eat with. read more

We visited this restaurant with my family and ordered the bone-in wings in every available flavor. While the wings were cooked perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and served fresh, however, the seasoning and sauces were underwhelming. Even the spicy flavors lacked the heat we were expecting, and most of the wing flavors tasted fairly bland. The main reason we wanted to try this restaurant was the kimchi pasta. It was good, but in our opinion, it didn't quite live up to the hype. We also ordered the kimchi fried rice, spicy tteokbokki, padak, and soondubu, and unfortunately, those dishes also lacked bold flavor. Overall, the quality of the fried wings stood out as the highlight of the meal, but the seasonings and flavors could definitely use some improvement. While it wasn't the worst meal we've had, it didn't meet our expectations based on the reviews and popularity. read more

This is my go-to spot whenever I am craving Korean Fried Chicken. Very decently priced considering it is in La Jolla, and great spot to meet up with friends for a late greasy dinner with drinks. The servers were also very sweet and always check in every now and then on our meal. I would definitely recommend trying their tteokbokki alongside their fried chicken. Definitely hits the spot and the spice helps cut the grease a bit. I do wish this place offered pickled radish or some bon-chon to help cut the chicken grease. But overall great spot that I've put in my regular monthly rotation! read more

Perfect, crispy, sweet and salty honey jam chicken wings. The Saigon style were salted with fish sauce and tasty too but the Honey Jam flavor is better. Kuljem means Honey Jam, which is their specialty. Recommend ordering the pear soju to accompany the wings. Also would recommend asking for the traditional white pickled radish on the side to balance out the richness of the other dishes. The kimchi pasta and rosé tteokbokki were creamy, cheesy and flavorful too. We had a great time sharing this delicious meal! read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Kimchi Pasta - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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- Food (7/10) Ordered the Combo 3 ($64 + tax). Meant to serve 4-6 people, easily served 5 with extra. Comes with 24 piece chicken wings, tteokbokki, and fries. Chicken was crispy, fatty, juicy, sticky, spicy. Everything you expect when you crave Korean Fried Chicken. Lots of flavors to choose from. After awhile the flavors blended into each other & the spice carried over from the Saigon style. Tteokbokki was delicious, hardy, soft, chewy, and very cheesy. Very punchy flavor. Rose flavor was still spicy for my mild friends. Fries were standard, very thin, nearly shoestring size. Overall, the food was fresh and delicious. Sometimes felt a bit one-toned and salty. - Experience (7/10) Servers were polite and brought everything we needed. May have to ask for extra napkins and utensils. Pickled radish avaliable upon request, though they ran out (it's what the meal needed though. - Ambiance (6/10) Felt barren at times. Large tables with nothing but the QR code menu. Large walls with nothing but TV's. Mini Santa hanging from the lamp, a nice touch. Interesting selection of programs playing though. Some New Year's streamer, basketball, and TED Talks. 3 out of 5 stars! read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Saigon Style and Sweet & Spicy Boneless Fried Chicken - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Still 5 stars all around. I'd give this place more if I could. The food is consistently delicious, perfectly seasoned, and the wings are so piping hot and crispy, it's unbelievable. Service was great, ambiance is simple and clean. I am glad I have to drive a little bit to get here or my waistline would be out of control from eating here too often! read more

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I ordered delivery so wasnt able to check out the place. The kimchi pasta was surprisingly good. It tasted more cheesy and carbonari with a hint of kimchi. The Saigon wings were sweet and had a kick to it. As someone who doesn't like spicy it was too much for me but my friends all enjoyed it. The one I could eat was the jam one and the crisp level and seasoning was very good! I want to go back and try their other falvors too! read more

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My family & I stopped in on a weekday during lunch hours but there was no wait, parking can be challenging though as it's in a busy plaza. We ordered the wings combo which is a dozen wings in honeyjam as well as sweet & spicy. It was perfectly cooked and the flavor was yummy! The bulgogi fried rice is tasty, kimchi pasta was okay, as was the deep fried gizzards - it was a little overcooked for me. Good food, good service. We would come back again. read more

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The restaurant was clean and had plenty of seatings. The decor was cute. The service was good. The wings were nice and crispy. It was very flavorful. The kimchi jjigae (stew) was good. It was not as spicy as I had hoped. The spicy tteokboki was good but overally spicy. Thus I could not finish the tteokboki and had to drink two cups of water. read more

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First time coming here for dinner on a Saturday evening. There was no wait so that was a good thing for us. We have impatient kids so we try to avoid going to places with waiting. We were seated promptly and ordered food. Food came out promptly after ordering and the waitress was nice. They were accommodating and friendly. We were able to catch the last game of the World Series without the crazy crowd of other places which is great in my opinion. The tofu soup was spicy. I like spice so that was good for me. My kids enjoyed the bulgogi sizzling platter with rice and kimchi. We also tried wings with the 2 recommended flavors. They were different than the typical flavors I am used to for Korean chicken. Not my favorite but not bad either. I'd like to try other flavors next time. The gizzards were too saucy to my liking. I like it more on the crisp side but the jalapeños and whole garlic were good in it. I'd come back another time to try other dishes like the kimchi pasta. It's tucked in a shopping center close to utc. Plenty of parking. read more

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A solid Korean fried chicken place esp in the UTC/ La Jolla area. Service is good and the inside is nice and spacious. Ate here on a Saturday night and it wasn't busy at all. Ordered the Combo 1 which was just enough for 2 people. The HoneyJam and Saigon Style were both super solid flavors. The Saigon Style had a mild spice level and HoneyJam wasn't overly sweet. The chicken sizes aren't bad either, although I feel like Cross Street chicken might be bigger in size. The kimchi fried rice was good but had a bit too much moisture for my liking from the kimchi (I'm assuming). Overall pretty good and I'd come back again for a quick Korean fried chicken fix. read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Kimchi Fried Rice - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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We came for a late lunch on a Sunday and the server was nice enough to take us in even though we didn't know they were closing and offered to go elsewhere. He said there is another group that's still eating and welcomed us to stay. We quickly ordered and got the 12 piece half honey jam and sweet soy flavors. The sweet soy was really good on its own with soy glazed umami sweetness. The honey jam was buttery and smoky and it overpowered the sweet soy. It came with a side of cabbage salad in the center. We also ordered the beef bulgogi fried rice and comes with a small kimchee on the side. It was really flavorful and they gave a generous portion of beef. Their service was awesome. The place was nice, clean, and had plenty of seating. They had great options on their menu. They even have happy hour from Sun-Wed. They have been open for a year and glad I came because I'm definitely coming back for more!! read more

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Kuljem is one of my favorite Korean fried chicken restaurants in San Diego and this visit was no exception! Excellent service, delicious food, always a good time. For this visit, we had enough people to order the Combo 3, which saves a couple of bucks. It comes with 24 wings (or boneless) with 4 flavors, tteokbokki or fried rice, and fries, onion rings, or cheese sticks. Everything was about the same portion sizes as if you'd have ordered individually except for the fries. Huge bowl full of crispy, freshly fried, well seasoned fries! We also ordered an extra Kimchi Pasta which isn't included in the Combo. Everything was so good! I love that the chicken's breading is lighter but still packs just much as crunch as any other restaurant. Seasoning and sauces aren't too overwhelming. And the Kimchi Pasta and Rose Tteokbokki are so creamy! Definitely will be back! read more

Korean food is definitely my favorite type of food, I'm always interested in trying new Korean restaurants. The food is absolutely delicious, the wings are cooked to perfection; I prefer Korean chicken wings over American for sure! The service is impressive and quick. Only 3 workers were on shift and they seemed to make a great team, very efficient! The ambiance is my favorite part, they were playing alot of Rosè from blackpink and had egames on the tv. We will definitely be coming here again! read more

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Came here again after a couple years. Was introduced by a friend and rmb it being good so brought the fam. Starting off, the restaurant is very clean and nice, maybe a little dead at first but you're quickly treated by the server, who was extremely nice and accommodating. The wings here are really good! All the wings have a really good crunch, even when they're coated in various sauces. That being said, the wings flavors themselves have great flavor and taste. The flavors were not overwhelming, not overly salty, sweet, spicy, just balanced in every way. Each one is easily distinguishable and meets the descriptions perfectly. All are pretty basic Korean flavors except the Saigon, which was a great fish sauce based wing. Tbh, I think the sides are okay, but the wings definitely stand out. Definitely a spot to try! Family was pleasantly surprised! read more

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saw a few Korean dishes on the menu that we were craving so we skipped the chicken. we probably should have had the chicken. the kimchi stew was okay. the stir fried gizzards were actually pretty good. and the kimchi fried rice was meh. i think they need more help on the service side. not very active at the tables. probably wouldn't go out of the way to come here. read more

Service was super friendly. Large dining room -- could fit small to large groups. Everything is fresh and made to order. My wings were crispy and delicious. Parking lot sucks, very busy and very narrow spots. read more

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Food: 5/5. Chicken was moist and tender. Not dried at all-very juicy. Flavors are so good! Kimchi pasta was korean approved. Pretty good I do wish it had more kimchi flavors into it Service: Went for to go option. Everybody was nice Ambiance: The store was pretty empty as we went in around 5pm on a Saturday, but I believe this restaurant will be bustling night time. It's a great Anju (snack with beer or drinks) place if anybody likes korean chicken and food. Overall, will definitely try again for other menus! read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Honey Jam Chicken, Saigon Style Chicken - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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Honestly a solid korean fried chicken place. The chicken was cooked really well and was moist. The breading was super light and crispy. The flavors we got (honey jam, sweet soy, and saigon style) did not disappoint. Saigon style was soooooo flavorful and spicy and my fav. The spice did not overpower the main flavor but it def has a kick. The sweet soy was so umami. The honey jam was too sweet for my taste but still very good. We got combo #2 which was perfect for 3 hungry people. It came with rose tteokbokki which was so good. Sauce was creamy and tteok or rice cake was perfectly chewy. There was very little wait and plenty of tables for an early weekday dinner around 6pm. Service was solid. read more

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I tried this place last year when it first opened. There is parking right in front since it's located in a plaza. Inside was very modern and the interior design was very hip. It's also spacious so great for a large party or a date night spot before the movies. I order the fish sauce chicken, corn cheese, and soy chicken. They came out pipping hot and tasted so delicious! Definitely comfort meal! The chicken is just as good as BBQ chicken! Highly recommend if you're in the area and craving Korean fried chicken. read more

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Came here a few times for dinner. We were always seated right away. Menus are available via QR code. We always order the beef bulgogi fried rice. It's definitely one of our favorites! We also normally get an order of wings, with Saigon style and honey jam as our go-tos. Both are flavorful and tasty and the wings are juicy and tender. The rose tteokbokki is my personal favorite. It's the perfect amount of spicy. We also have tried the kimchi pasta and stir fried sausage. Both also good dishes! Overall, I would definitely recommend a try here! Every dish we've tried has been great and service is always good. Will definitely keep coming back here! read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Beef Bulgogi Fried Rice - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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A must try! Came here with my buddies and we wanted to try a little bit of everything. We started out with the corn cheese on that white cheese on the corn It gives it a nice flavor. Then we shared the Bulgogi fries it's a must try. And if you like kimchi, I highly recommend the kimchi pasta that sauce they use on it was insane. We shared that plate, but I wish I had more to myself. I got myself the spicy tofu soup, but I wish it was a little bit more spicy and it comes with a side of white rice. Then we shared their wings. We got the honey jam, and the sweet and spicy the wings were my favorite. Restaurant was clean and service was great. Definitely coming back here to try more food items and their beer. read more

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I got take out from Kuljem and it did not disappoint. My food was ready when I arrived and still hot and They accommodated my request for lemonade without ice. Now the food: I tried their kimchi pasta and it was DELICIOUS! Everything you want out of a pasta- great sauce, nice toppings that complimented the creaminess of the pasta and a good amount of well cooked noodles. Kuljem fulfilled my late night pasta craving and I'll definitely be back. (I can't speak to the ambiance but the place looked cute and lively). read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Kimchi Pasta - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

Casual lunch for a friend's birthday. Was a bit quiet on a Sunday but we ordered a combo of fried chicken (sweet soy, honey jam and sweet&spicy) + spicy tteokbokki (quite spicy but good) + onion rings, kimchi fried rice, stir fried sausage with mixed veg. Overall, good service and we enjoyed the food (whilst watching the Netherlands vs Japan World Cup match on the telly). Would go back next time to try the Kimchi Pasta. read more

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Got here right when they opened and it's a good time to go, if you want to dine in. I opted for take out instead since I had a gathering to go to. I scanned the menu, which is a QR code. I got their largest combo, which is 24 pieces of chicken, tteokbokki or fried rice, fries or onion rings or something else. I got the following flavors: original, honey jam, sweet soy and sweet & spicy. We also opted for boneless since we were also feeding kids. Not sure we could have done half and half. Next time I'll ask. We also got the rose tteokbokki, and onion rings. The order came out in about 15 minutes and drove it to my friend's house which was about 10 minutes away and it was still nice and hot. The exterior of the chicken wasn't soggy from the sauce and it was coated well. Our favorite flavor was original and honey jam. It was a good balance of sweet and savory. Original was simple and actually cooked well. The others weren't too impressive but we still appreciated the flavors. The rose tteokbokki was really really good. There was a slight kick at the end. The tteok was cooked well and not mushy. The flavors were not overwhelming. The onion rings were onion rings. Overall, we want to go back and try other items there. The cashier I interacted with was great. The place was clean. Parking is a little tight. It is a little pricey but it's good quality and delicious, so no complaints. Again, will definitely come back to try out the other items on the menu. read more

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My new favorite wing place !! Ordered the large 12 pc wings with 1/2 honey jam + 1/2 sweet and spicy. Looove the honey jam flavor, it's sweet, savory & buttery. Reminds me of the Korean honey butter chips. Their wings were super crunchy and flavorful. Also ordered a side of sweet potato fries and was surprised by the portion size. Staff was helpful and patient with all the questions we had. The restaurant was modern, clean, and spacious. However the day we visited, their whole hvac system was not working and it was one of the hottest days of the year. So we opted for takeout. Definitely looking forward to dine in one day! read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Sweet potato fries - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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I've had a lot of pastas in my life but this was one of the best I've ever had. Kimchi pasta is divine!! Definitely coming back for it. The fried chicken was so good, so crunchy and not greasy at all. I was skeptical with the tofu soup but it was full of rich flavor, meat makes it hearty, perfect for cozy weather. read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Kimchi pasta. Tofu soup. Fried chicken. - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

Honey jam wings had a great flavor. Great atmosphere, college vibes, sports on tv, beers available and great customer service!!! The chicken wings were really good! read more

Really juicy and tender chicken! I ordered kimchi pasta and 12pc wings- chose the top 2 most popular flavors, and it was one my favorite fried chicken places I've ever tried read more

This was my first time in the area and at Kuljem Chicken & Beer! The restaurant shares a parking lot with multiple other businesses. We found it very easy to find parking. As we came in, we waited to be seated. A lovely waitress came by and seated us at a table for two. I think they make use of their space really well. Since they didn't seat us at a large table. It was nice to see the variety of seats available. From 2 seats, 4, to 6 seated tables. The interior was decorated with warm lighting and beautiful murals that depicted honey and soju. It was electric and cute! I didn't get a photo of the wall behind me sadly, but it was really nice. All the people that work there are welcoming and sweet. There was a delay to refill water, but after they came around once-- they ensured to come by again to see if we wanted it filled. They give each person 1 napkin, with saucy wings -- I should have asked for a few more! The menu is on a QR code. There was a little kitty holding up the code-- that was adorable. We decided to get 6 wings of the SAIGON STYLE and 6 wings of the ORIGINAL CRISPY. In total this cost $24. I ordered ROSE TTEOKBOKKI ($17). This is a dish to share!! Sadly, even though I planned to share...my brother forgot his lactaid so I was left to try to finish it myself. It was super cheesy, had loads of fish cake, and rice cakes. There were little pieces of cabbage, but the cheese just took over everything. There was even a boiled egg sliced in half. I think it was a perfect rose sauce--but in my opinion, just had way too much cheese. The ORIGINAL CRISPY wings were delightfully crunchy and hot in temperature. It's double fried and somehow the chicken is so succulent still. I've honestly never had chicken like that before! The seasoning was nice...although the salt became overwhelming for some pieces. Luckily I ordered that Rose Tteokbokki right? I dipped my chicken into that sauce and it was so lush!! Highly recommend. The SAIGON STYLE wings have a slight heat to them because of the Thai chili, there's also garlic (but not overwhelming garlic), and I believe I could taste a bit of fish sauce. The wings were juicy and crispy...while also being saucy? It was just so delicious. My brother devoured these! Highly recommend this for first timers!! - My brother really enjoyed the Saigon style and how the original crispy wings remained HOT throughout the dinner. - I liked the cabbage slaw in the middle of the wings. It was thinly sliced and not sweet compared to other chicken places. This had zing and a hint of spice. I loved that they played KPOP music, it gave us flashbacks to middle school era. A fun and lively one was Feel Special by Twice. On the TVs tonight they had sports and some sort of news/talking. And then on the other wall it was a projector. I guess that's the best of both worlds for people. Anyways, I would recommend Kuljem Chicken & Beer to people. The chicken was juicy and crispy! If I was in the mood, I'm sure it would pair soo well with the beers or soju. But don't worry, they even had soda and pink lemonade! Tonight, we just had water. On the menu, they also had different kinds of fried rice, pasta, rice cake dishes, anju aka bar food, and sides! I think I'll come back with my mom-- she's interested to try the kimchi pasta and the fried gizzards. (: read more

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Such a great chicken place! I came on a Sunday night around 9PM; I appreciate the late hours they're open. The chicken, itself, is delicious. The original was so flavorful! I also enjoyed the sweet and spicy, but my friend thought it was too sweet. The texture was perfect. The kimchi fried rice paired well with the chicken. read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California

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ohmygosh i tried the sweet & spicy and honey jam wings. 12 pc is perfect for two ppl!! their to go was so fast and easy process on monday night. will be back again!! read more

Kuljem Chicken & Beer - Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Honey Jam Chicken - Korean Near Me - San Diego, California